A man opened fire at a popular fresh food market in Bangkok, Thailand, killing five people before taking his own life in what police described as a personal vendetta. Among the victims were four security guards and a vendor at the Or Tor Kor market in the northern part of Bangkok. Two others were injured during the incident.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau’s commander-in-chief, Siam Bunsom, informed reporters that the assailant, armed with a handgun, targeted individuals at the market, including a female merchant. The market, situated near the Chatuchak Weekend Market, attracts both local and international visitors with its wide array of products.
According to a statement by Bangkok’s Metropolitan police commissioner, the shooter’s wife revealed that he harbored animosity towards the security guards due to an incident involving his car being scratched in either 2019 or 2020. The wife, who operates a food stall at the market, characterized the suspect, known only by a nickname “Mr. Noi,” as possessive of his vehicle and prone to violence.
After the shooting spree, the gunman retreated and fatally shot himself with the same firearm on a nearby bench. The authorities emphasized that the tragedy stemmed from a personal dispute and was unrelated to any border conflicts with Cambodia, dispelling rumors circulating on social media.
Witnesses, like Duangnapa Yeerunsiri, recounted the chaos and fear that ensued as gunshots rang out at the market, prompting them to seek safety and alert the police promptly. Fortunately, no tourists were harmed during the incident, confirmed Sanong Saengmani, a police official in Bangkok’s Bang Sue district where the market is located.
Thailand, with stringent gun laws yet significant gun ownership rates, has experienced previous instances of gun violence. Notably, a teenager carried out a mass shooting at a shopping mall in 2023, resulting in multiple casualties. The country also faced a horrific mass killing in 2022 when a disgruntled former police sergeant went on a rampage, claiming the lives of 36 individuals, including children at a daycare facility. Additionally, a soldier’s shooting spree in 2020 at a shopping mall resulted in the death of 29 people before he was neutralized by law enforcement after an extended standoff.